Various underwater noise abatement apparatuses have been proposed. Some are embodied in a form factor that encloses or is deployed at or near a source of underwater noise. U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2011/0031062, entitled “Device for Damping and Scattering Hydrosound in a Liquid,” describes a plurality of buoyant gas enclosures (balloons containing air) tethered to a rigid underwater frame that absorb underwater sound in a frequency range determined by the size of the gas enclosures. Patent application U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2015/0170631, entitled “Underwater Noise Reduction System Using Open-Ended Resonator Assembly and Deployment Apparatus,” discloses systems of submersible open-ended gas resonators that can be deployed in an underwater noise environment to attenuate noise therefrom. These and their related applications and documentation are incorporated herein by reference.
Underwater noise reduction systems are intended to mitigate man-made noise so as to reduce its environmental impact. Pile driving for offshore construction, oil and gas drilling platforms, and seafaring vessels are examples of noise that can be undesirable and that should be mitigated. However, the installation, deployment and packaging of underwater noise abatement systems can be challenging, as these apparatuses are typically bulky and cumbersome to store and deploy.
In addition, current noise reduction systems rely on a combination of materials, such as rubber, plastic, and/or metal. Systems constructed from non-homogenous systems can be costlier to manufacture than homogenous systems manufactured from a single material.
The present application relates to underwater noise reduction devices and systems and methods of storing and deploying such devices.